Driving less isn't cutting insurance rates

By Don Mecoy

Published: August 22, 2008

Oklahoma is a driving state, and even record-high gasoline prices haven't changed that much.

Recent numbers issued by the Federal Highway Administration show road travel decreased 3.7 percent nationwide in May, compared to May 2007. But in Oklahoma, the decrease was only 3.2 percent.

That decline might be reflected in lower collision claims filed with insurance companies. However, it hasn't resulted in lower claims costs for those insurers because bad weather has boosted total vehicle damage claims, said Allstate Spokeswoman Shelly Frost Beeler.

John Wiscaver, State Farm Insurance Co. spokesman, said that company hasn't seen any decline yet attributed to less driving. For such a change to affect rates, it would have to be a long-term change, he said.

"If you had a significant decrease, logically you could make an assumption that you would see less claims,” Wiscaver said.

The Brookings Institution estimates that a pay-as-you-drive insurance system would save motorists money and gasoline.

If all motorists paid for accident insurance based on how much they drove instead of as a lump sum amount each year, that would produce an 8 percent reduction in miles driven, according to the Brookings Institute paper.

Progressive Insurance has launched a new auto insurance that may lure some commuters who have cut back on their driving due to high gasoline prices. Currently available only in New Jersey, the new policy provides a customized rate to customers based on how much and when their car is driven as registered by an electronic monitoring device installed in the vehicle.

Cristy Cash, counseling hot line manager for consumer Credit Counseling Service of Central Oklahoma, said many callers to her organization are lamenting increased travel costs. A Shawnee couple that make payments on two cars, each of which is driven daily to Oklahoma City, is paying $2,400 a month in transportation costs, Cash said.

"Gasoline prices definitely put us over into a new group of people,” Cash said.

"People were on the edge before but this kind of pushed them over.”

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